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But Dion Phaneuf is likely to hear the cry of “man overboard!” once or twice in the next few days as the nervous Maple Leafs navigate the stormy weather and upheaval that go with the NHL trade deadline.

The blue-and-white crew is very uneasy with the red-letter day coming down within a week. Phaneuf, who has been out with a right-hand injury this past month, had heard his own name get tossed into the fish kettle, although the Leafs would have to eat part of his salary or that of Phil Kessel, another big name who might not survive the anticipated rebuild.

Most believe UFA winger Daniel Winnik won’t be here for next Tuesday’s post-deadline game in Florida and that everyone not named Morgan Rielly or James van Riemsdyk are in trade play, either at the deadline or sometime this summer. For now, the Leafs have three practice days before their next game Thursday at home against the Flyers, then weekend road contests in Montreal and Washington, before sweating out the final hours until 3 p.m. EST Monday.

“It wears on you,” Phaneuf said after his first full practice in weeks. “It has not been a good month-and-a-half for us. We know where we’re at.

“We’ll be asked lots of questions and there will be lots of rumours. That’s not easy to deal with. You can feel it in the dressing room. You’re talking about guys’ lives, their jobs and careers. It definitely takes a toll on your room.

“We’ll get through this week and move forward. Saturday’s game (a 4-3 overtime win over Winnipeg) was a step in the right direction.”

Those two points hardly made a dent in the Eastern Conference standings, but will make the early part of this week more tolerable.

“I don’t know what direction we’re going in here, but all we can worry about is coming to practice and improving,” said winger Joffrey Lupul. “And helping younger players. That’s what these last 22 games will be about.

“Everyone’s making it sound like (the whole roster) will be gone, but you have to (keep) more experienced players as well. In this market, everyone’s going to be the (subject of trade rumours). I’ve had no discussions with anyone (in management) and no one really knows where they stand. After losing (24 of 29), no one probably should.

“I love living here and love being a Leaf, but if I’m not in the plans, I’m not in the plans. I can’t talk my way back in. Whatever direction they go, I’m comfortable with it.”

There was a significantly lower turnout of rival scouts at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday after half the league was represented there a few days earlier.

“Teams will focus their scouting on teams they feel they have the best chance of making deals with between now and March 2,” general manager Dave Nonis said in an e-mail to the Sun.

Given that Montreal had a strong press-box presence for a game earlier last week against Florida and at the Marlies game at the ACC on Family Day, many think the two old rivals have something cooking. A 28-point difference between the division-leading Habs and the 14th-place Leafs means anything goes, such as talk surrounding the Canadiens’ interest in burly Leafs defenceman Roman Polak.

Others believe that if Toronto has something big brewing, it will be with Los Angeles or a Western Conference club in order to lessen the possible fallout on both trade participants in coming years.

Interim Leafs coach Peter Horachek and his staff will be tasked with keeping minds from wandering between now and next Monday.

“This is the way it is,” sighed Horachek. “We continue to tell them you’ve got to control what you can do. You can’t push it any other way, you can’t make stuff up (that their jobs are safe), you can’t lie to them.

“Go out, prepare and work hard. If something happens, it happens, and it doesn’t do you any good, me any good, the fans or the team to go through your day halfway (attentive).”

In that respect, Horachek was glad Lupul came back on Saturday, played a physical game and asserted himself after missing another chunk of the schedule with injury. Say what you will about the brittleness of Lupul, he does make the Leafs better when he’s in the lineup and his current line assignment with Winnik and Nazem Kadri is a strong one.

“I was not going to play him (Saturday) as much as I did, but he kind of encouraged me,” Horachek said. “He didn’t want to be eased in, he wanted to go — and that mindset and leadership were important for us.

“I felt that right through the lineup. Everyone was more prepared mentally. (Lupul) makes it clear that leadership is important. No team that’s going deep in the playoffs doesn’t have it. Everyone goes through different types of adversity, even teams at the top, whether it’s their No. 1 goalie hurt or something else, and leadership is what you have to have to get through it.”

lance.hornby@sunmedia.ca

PHANEUF: 'GOOD TO BE BACK'

Randy Carlyle was absolved of some blame when the Maple Leafs tumbled to a record of 3-15-2 after his firing as coach.

And now that the club only won two games out of 11 minus oft-criticized captain Dion Phaneuf, his job on defence will still be there on Thursday, his target date to return from a right-hand injury.

“I’m hopeful to play this week (the Leafs host Philadelphia) and see how it responds,” Phaneuf said on Monday after his first full practice in a month. “It’s worked out well to have three days this week to get as close to game shape as possible.”

Phaneuf damaged his hand in a fight in Ottawa on Jan. 21.

“It feels good to be back with the guys,” the defenceman said. “It’s tough, mentally, skating all by yourself, day after day, just getting treatment and rehab.”

With the trading of Cody Franson nine days ago, the Leafs have given plenty of ice time to young defencemen Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Petter Granberg, which has exposed their immaturity in some pressure situations. The Leafs are also leaning on 37-year-old Stephane Robidas more than at any time this season. With Thursday’s game kicking off three in four nights, getting a veteran blue-liner back will be welcome.

“Dion practised well today and we thought that was a bonus,” said interim coach Peter Horachek. “He got through the whole thing with decent energy. It’s now getting his game shape back. We have two more practice days (part of a rare four-day hiatus for the Leafs) and we’re hopeful.”

SMITH STICKING WITH LEAFS?

Never has a captain been more happy to be stripped of his “C.”

Because when Trevor Smith was told that Troy Bodie was replacing him in that role with the Marlies, it meant more security as a Leaf.

For most of the past two seasons, the checking centre had remained with the Leafs after starting the season in the AHL. He was sent back to the Marlies after the Leafs were eliminated from the playoff run last spring, when he and Peter Holland helped the farm team reach the Calder Cup semifinals.

Although he’s now dealing with an undisclosed injury that’s keeping him out of contact drills, it looks like he’ll stay the remaining 22 games on the parent roster, especially if deadline trades leave Toronto short of manpower.

“I talked to (Marlie coach) Gord Dineen on Sunday and he let me know what was going on,” Smith said of being told he was an ex-captain. “I wished Bodie congratulations and good luck getting them into the playoffs.

“I’m taking things day-by-day here, as always, keep working and try to help. Right now, I’m trying to keep positive (after the injury) and get back in the lineup.”

Interim coach Peter Horachek is making no promises about Smith’s future role.

“He’s done a very good job, a smart guy, very good penalty killer and a guy I’ve relied on in several situations. He’s earned some trust from me in a lot of areas and earned his opportunity. I expect him to be here, but who knows what’s happening?”